Morild – VI

Morild is a new star on the danish black metal scene. With their debut EP VI, Morild have entered the top league of danish black metal bands. Bands like Solbrud, Sunken, Slægt and Orm.

One thing that they have in common with these bands, is, that they are genre defying. Morild, as well as the other aforementioned bands, have their own take on black metal. Where black metal definitely is in the root of their sound, Morild have a layer of gothic as well as blackgaze and even some post-rock elements.

Specially the last song on the EP is breaking all rules of black metal with an almost funky beat, that’s refreshing.

When listening to VI, I hear 3 strong songs that works perfectly as standalone songs. 3 song together, that unleashes a crushing, grim, devastating, melancholic, yet bittersweet mood and surprising monument of sound. It’s quite original with the use of the extremely reverberated guitars and the use of high pitch choirs here and there. These small details is a force of VI.

The songs are called I, II, III (=VI). While, this is neither inspiring or inventing, it works quite well as an anonymized entrance to the 3 songs, letting the music speak for itself.

Three Powerful Journeys

I is a classical black metal opener. Shredding guitars, characteristic shrieks and a heavy low end, developing to blast beats. It doesn’t take long before the first melodies kick in. A memorable simple melody floats on top of everything else. A melody that has a melancholy that you could find in some 80’s new wave, almost sounding like a keyboard lifted from The Cure’s Pornography. But don’t misunderstand. Morild is in a different world. I is heavy, roaring and misanthropic black metal with a twist. The clean guitars are giving an aspect of purity to the whole sound and the brutal guitars, bass and energetic drums pushes everything forward. I is a cool opener of the EP. It shows off perfectly, the sound of Morild. A sound that is definitely not only black metal, but also flirts with other genres. A song that is filled to the brim with cool details and innovation. For example a short passage with female choir is just a perfect detail.

II opens with lots of melancholy and blast beats, before the shrieking starts. In some ways the guitars are reminding me of more gothic acts like Paradise Lost, Type O Negative and some 80’s New Wave. It’s a vague reminder, but still it’s there. The underlying synth like sounds is off course also strengthening this resemblence. Specially when the guitar is let alone with distant reverbs and slight echoes. Throughout the song, this mood is kept, and while majestic and merciless, II is also aesthetic and melodic. When II changes character after approximately 6 minutes of sonic foray, the listener is invited to a mythical folk like world. Simple and effective, with acoustic guitars and low choir. A perfect ending for the song.

III is the bastard. This one, really surprised me. Here we have the drums I would never have expected to hear in this genre. Being so different, one could frown upon it, but instead you just need to embrace it.

III opens very classic black metal, with blast beats and shrieking, but only shortly, to transform into quite another beast. Again the clean guitars bear the melodies of III, and when accompanied with the chorus reverbed guitar and simple melodies, along with the “funky” drums, you’re carried to a completely different universe. It’s very welcome, and the small details pops out here and there. Heavy guitars, slight fingerpicking, female choir, tons of riffs is the key elements of this song and it works extremly well.

Listen to the EP

This EP is an EP that leads the listener into the universe of Morild. A universe that I personally are looking forward to follow. With this strong a debut, I hope for a even stronger full album, to follow it up.

One wish from one listener. I think that it’s a strong move to have the beautiful choir accompanying the music, giving an almost religious feeling to the music. But it would have been even stronger, if the ethereal voices had a more prominent position in the music.

Not by overtaking the classic black metal shrieking, but complenting it with actual lyrics instead of using it, only, as a background instrument. There are some of these clean vocals in the end of III, but again, not in the same ethereal way that the choir is used. I hope that, Morild, by exploring the use of choir in their music, can see the full potential of using this voice as more than just a choir.

Morild is a welcome addition to the list of awesome danish metal bands. I would personally recommend this band to anyone that enjoys bands like Solbrud and Sunken and I hope these guys will be spreading their disease over a copenhell crowd, late at night.

Take a listen to the EP here, which is also out on vinyl. If you want to buy a vinyl, give the band a message on facebook.